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Supreme Court Sets Three-Month Deadline on Trinamool Dispute
Two groups say they are the real Trinamool Congress.
They both want to use the party’s original name and its Flowers & Grass election symbol.
The Election Commission temporarily stopped both groups from using them.
It gave each group a different name and symbol for the upcoming by-elections.
Mamata Banerjee’s group received the Football Player symbol.
The other group received the Envelope symbol.
The Supreme Court told both groups to submit their documents within four weeks.
It then gave the Election Commission three months to make a final decision.
The Supreme Court directed the Election Commission of India to decide the Trinamool Congress name and symbol dispute within three months after receiving the factions’ pleadings.
The rival factions must submit their affidavits and documents to the Commission within four weeks.
The Election Commission had frozen the All India Trinamool Congress name and “Flowers & Grass” symbol on September 17.
The Mamata Banerjee-led faction was allotted the name Mamata All India Trinamool Congress and the Football Player symbol, while the rival faction received Democratic Trinamool Congress and the Envelope symbol.
The order comes before by-elections scheduled for October 6, 2026, in Nandigram and Rejinagar, with counting scheduled for October 9.
- Who
- The Supreme Court, the Election Commission of India, the Mamata Banerjee-led faction, and the rival Trinamool faction.
- What
- The court ordered the Election Commission to resolve the dispute over the All India Trinamool Congress name and “Flowers & Grass” symbol.
- Where
- The dispute is being considered by the Election Commission of India and concerns rival factions of the Bengal-based Trinamool Congress.
- When
- The Supreme Court issued the order on Monday; the factions have four weeks to file pleadings, followed by three months for the Commission to decide.
- Why
- The factions submitted competing claims over which group represents the original party after a split following the West Bengal Assembly elections.
Mamata Banerjee Faction
Rival Trinamool Faction
Party identity
Mamata Banerjee Faction
The faction led by Mamata Banerjee claims the authentic Trinamool Congress identity and challenged the freezing of the party name and symbol.
Rival Trinamool Faction
The rival faction has also claimed to represent the original Trinamool Congress and has submitted a competing claim to the Election Commission.
Interim election symbols
Mamata Banerjee Faction
The faction led by Mamata Banerjee is using the name Mamata All India Trinamool Congress and the Football Player symbol for the by-elections.
Rival Trinamool Faction
The rival faction is using the name Democratic Trinamool Congress and the Envelope symbol for the by-elections.
Time needed for a decision
Mamata Banerjee Faction
Mamata Banerjee’s side sought an expedited resolution of the dispute.
Rival Trinamool Faction
The Election Commission requested six months, saying the matter was complex and involved many parties, but the Supreme Court ruled that three months was sufficient after the pleadings.
Key facts
- Court bench
- Chief Justice of India Surya Kant and Justices Joymalya Bagchi and V. Mohana
- Pleadings deadline
- Four weeks for both factions to submit affidavits and documents
- Commission deadline
- Three months after the pleadings are completed
- Frozen identity
- The name All India Trinamool Congress and the “Flowers & Grass” symbol
- Mamata faction
- Mamata All India Trinamool Congress; Football Player symbol
- Rival faction
- Democratic Trinamool Congress; Envelope symbol
- Upcoming by-elections
- Nandigram and Rejinagar on October 6, 2026; counting on October 9, 2026
Quotes
Election Commission of India
India’s electoral authority handling the party name and symbol dispute
“Neither of the two groups led by Arup Roy (Petitioner) and the other led by Mamata Banerjee (Respondent) shall be permitted to use the name of the party “All India Trinamool Congress” simpliciter; neither of the two groups shall also be permitted to use the symbol “Flowers & Grass”, reserved for “All India Trinamool Congress””
thestatesman.com
“three months is good enough”
thestatesman.com
Sources
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